An Uneasy Alliance
by TheNewIdea
Summary: Simply decided to make this a one shot since I had a better idea for the original overall story. Originally titled The Horsemen. It is March 2025. Starscream and Optimus Prime are conducting a joint operation with Delta and Prophet to take down CELL operatives and save Eleanor Lamb. Rated M for scenes of war.


Operation Nightwatch 40

Shanghai, China

May 25th, 2025

2:30 am- the Rainstorm of 2025, the worst rainstorm in recorded history

"Target sighted" Optimus said through his four way receiver as he looked down his sniper scope on a lone rooftop," Are we sure about this?" The voice on the other end sighed, tired of having once again to explain the situation to Optimus. "Yes Prime" the voice said, "Victor has to die. He's a global threat." Optimus huffed, having heard this before, "And you're absolutely sure that this has nothing to do with him killing that family?" The voice groaned, "Leave them out of this. It isn't about revenge, its business. Now do you have a shot?" Optimus looked through his sight once again and confirmed the kill, "Sector Bravo One is clean" A second voice said on the line, "Has Optimus eliminated the target?" Optimus rolled his eyes and looked for a third time down the sight, zooming in to make sure that he hit the head, for he wanted Victor's death to be quick and painless.

"Optimus!" the first voice screamed, "If you don't pull that trigger right now, you're going to back to Cybertron as a tin can! Do you understand me?" Optimus breathed in and squeezed the trigger; Victor went down three seconds later, the building he was in having been a good 165 yards away. "It's done" Optimus said as he stood up and retracted the sniper rifle once again having a right arm, "Good" the first voice said, "Now I believe we're done here. Delta will take care of you now."

Optimus nodded in agreement, "Starscream?" Optimus said, "Do you have any regrets, defecting and all that?" Starscream sighed sadly on the other end, "I have regrets not doing it sooner if that's what you mean Prime. In terms of what I just had you do, I don't regret it one bit. The bastard had to die." Optimus looked down at himself and said nothing. Starscream signed off. "Optimus?" Delta said, "You still with me?" Optimus shook his head and activated his wings, one of the many upgrades he had personally installed for this mission, "Go ahead Delta" Optimus replied, "What's the situation on your end?" Optimus took to the air and flew to the neighboring rooftop, this one lower to the ground, and once again equipped his rifle. "What the hell do you think Prime?" Delta replied, "Just peachy keen."

Delta ran through the streets armed with his drill in one hand and a machine gun in the other. Surrounding him were numerous CELL agents. "Just find some cover" Optimus said as he began counting the heads, "I'm taking them out." Delta nodded and let off a few wild shots of his machine gun, distracting the CELL agents, giving him just enough time to hide behind a dividing wall. In an instant the CELL agents, there were seven of them, fell, followed immediately by seven loud bolts of an Autobot sniper rifle. "Thanks for the save" Delta exclaimed as he emerged once again, "Don't mention it" Optimus replied, "Now go save Eleanor."

Delta nodded and continued on his way, heading towards the Barnes Hotel and Casino. Coming up from behind were more CELL agents, accompanied by Splicers and a Big Sister. Delta stood his ground, fully prepared to take on the legion or die trying. Just when the horde was about to be upon him, Prophet and Starscream appeared as backup support, Prophet coming from the left in a nearby alleyway and Starscream from the right transforming from the air. The horde stopped for a moment in fear of the three. Starscream looked at all of them and spoke, "Who's ready to die?" Delta, Prophet and Optimus cheered on in victory as they mercilessly began the assault.

Optimus began picking off as many as he could from his rooftop, when he ran out of ammo, he took to the ground, turned on his shrinking device on his wrist to even the playing field and replaced his sniper rifle with his sword. Starscream just started kicking, but then he too turned on his shrinking device and fought hand to hand for the fun of it. Delta favored his drill at this point and started rushing into the crowd, taking CELL and Splicers alike. Prophet pulled out a grenade and threw it towards the Big Sister, who was surrounded by several CELL. The grenade took care of the CELL but left the Big Sister relatively unharmed. Optimus and Starscream were too busy with their own private fights in the ensuing battle to give any aid and Delta was too far away. But Prophet didn't need any help to begin with and activated his Nanosuit armor plating and ran straight for the Big Sister, plowing her into the ground creating a small crater before Prophet broke her neck with a single twist of his bicep.

Starscream finished off the last of the CELL while Delta felled the last of the Splicers. All of them then looked at each other and then towards the Barnes Hotel and Casino. "So we're really going in there huh?" Prophet asked, "You guys can leave if you want to, your part of the mission is over" Delta declared, "As for me I'm going after my daughter." Optimus looked down in shame and deactivated his shrinking device, returning him to his normal giant size, "I'm sorry Delta" Optimus began, "But I am needed elsewhere." Prophet shook his head, "The only reason I came here was to stop the CELL. Now those bastards are in the ground. You don't need me." Delta turned towards Starscream hopefully, "My part in this is done, for justice has finally been served with Victor's death." Delta hung his sadly at the prospect of having to go alone, "However" Starscream continued, "I would be doing them a disservice if I weren't to see this through." Optimus nodded in approval at Starscream's resolve and quickly left the scene, Prophet only stared at Starscream as if he were a complete nut job and walked away, "You're a damn fool Starscream" Prophet said under his breath, "A damn fool."

Starscream and Delta entered the Barnes Hotel and Casino cautiously, both of them checking their corners only to find the place completely deserted. "Eleanor?" Delta called, "It's me. Daddy, where are you?" The room was silent. Starscream activated his scanner and began scanning the room for any signs of Eleanor while Delta searched the main floor. "She's not here." Delta said in desperation, "Not on this level" Starscream answered, "She's on the 17th Floor, Room 1712." Delta immediately ran for an elevator only to find it out of service and no time to huff it up the stairs. "The elevators aren't working" Delta exclaimed, "Not a problem" Starscream said as he turned off his shrinking device, busting a hole through the ceiling as he unfolded his wings. "Damn" Delta exclaimed impressively, "That sure must come in handy eh?" Starscream laughed in response, "You have no idea. Now let's go save that girl!" Delta nodded and Starscream picked him up and flew all the way up to the 17th Floor, busting large holes that resembled his imprint through the multiple floors and ceilings of the various floors.

As soon as they reached the 17th Floor, Starscream dropped Delta off, "I'll be waiting for you outside Delta" Starscream said, "This is your fight now." Delta nodded in thanks, just as Starscream broke another hole in the wall and flew off.

Delta turned on his flashlight, for the hallway he was in was extremely dark. Upon reaching 1712, Delta could hear the sound of struggling and without so much as thinking broke down the door with his drill. Before him was Eleanor, strapped to a bomb that was strapped to a chair. In the corner of the room Sophia Lamb, Eleanor's mother, was waiting for him, holding a shotgun, an electro-shock plasmid and wearing a light driver's suit. "Hello Delta" Sophia said in monotone, "I see that you've been busy." Delta lowered his drill and tried to reason with Sophia for Eleanor's sake, "Just let her go Sophia" Delta began, "Let her go and I'll let you walk away." Sophia laughed hysterically, "You still don't get it do you? Eleanor isn't your daughter. She's not even your Little Sister anymore. She belongs to me, I am her mother." Eleanor shook her head in protest, "You are no mother of mine!" she screamed, "Daddy, help me!" Delta took a step forward; Sophia in response activated the bomb.

"What you fail to realize Delta" Sophia said as she aimed the gun at Eleanor's head, "Is that I am in control here." Sophia gestured over to the bomb's kill switch, "If you can reach that kill switch before I can pull this trigger, I'll surrender." Delta shrugged and held out his left hand, using a telekinetic plasmid and activated the kill switch. Sophia sighed and gently applied pressure to the trigger, but before she could as much as blink, Delta had already impaled her with his drill. Sophia stared at Delta with confusion and disbelief before her eyes finally went cold.

Delta then turned to Eleanor and cut her bonds, "Daddy" she said happily as she wrapped her arms around him, "I knew you'd keep your promise." Delta laughed half heartedly, "What promise was that?" Eleanor laughed, "You said you would never leave." Delta smiled as he picked his daughter up in his arms, just as Starscream burst through yet another wall, now in his aircraft mode.

Starscream opened his cockpit and Eleanor and Delta climbed inside. Starscream then headed to the _RMS Superiority_. Once on the battleship, Starscream reverted back to true form and took his leave of Delta and Eleanor, "Thank you Starscream" Delta said in parting, "You didn't have to do this." Starscream shook his head in disagreement, "Yes I did" he answered," I can't really explain it, but I feel as if I almost have a soul." Delta laughed as he wrapped his arm around Eleanor, "You do have a soul Starscream" Delta declared, "You're not well acquainted with Cybertronians are you?" Starscream asked, "Not at all" Delta answered straightly. Starscream nodded in partial understanding and transformed, heading towards Autobot headquarters in central Nevada.


End file.
